Goals and benefits of a rural stewardship plan
Goals of a rural stewardship plan
Stewards are available to assist you
The main goal of a rural stewardship plan is to help you achieve your objectives for your property without harming the existing ecosystem or affecting downstream neighbors. This usually means:
- Recognizing and understanding the unique features in your landscape worthy of protection
- Protecting or improving the flow and absorption of both surface water and groundwater on your property
- Identifying specific actions and methods to minimize or offset any environmental harm from development
- Monitoring your plan's success and making adjustments as necessary
Benefits of a rural stewardship plan
By developing and implementing a rural stewardship plan, you may be eligible to take advantage of:
- Technical assistance to look comprehensively at your property, finding options to achieve your short-term and long-term goals while protecting the natural resources present there
- Reduced stream and wetland buffers and increased clearing allowances
- Enrollment in the Public Benefit Rating System, which could reduce your property taxes
- Access to design, cost share and other resources to help with projects like restoring native vegetation
- A simpler and potentially less expensive permitting process for your development projects now and in the future
For questions about these programs, please contact Pesha Klein, Environmental Scientist III, DPER Critical Areas Review.